Mask
by Empryexl
Summary: Higurashi Kagome will always have a hard time running from her past - the Past. In the midst of her self exile she learns to wear a mask in the form of a smile - after all, they were the best masks... Weren't they?
1. Prologue - Escaping the Past

**Please be kind, criticism is welcom****e - serious, ego-damaging flames are NOT. This isn't my first fanfiction nor do I think will this be my last.**

**Note:**

**I do not have a beta-reader - if you would be as so kind to offer one to me or become my beta-reader... please do so.**

**Yes, this is a Kagome-Just-came-Back-From-The-Feudal-Era-Fic**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha nor Eyeshield 21 - or else both respective mangas would have their mangaka as well as artist listed as _Stranezze _but... it isn't. Both Rumiko Takashi and Yusuke Murata are geniuses in the sense that they came up with the ideas for these mangas before me...**

* * *

**Prologue - Escaping the Past  
**

The students sitting near the door happened to hear snippets of the conversation between Hiranako-san and Shizuka-sensei, thus the rumors had began to intensify and buzz to life.

"—but Hiranako-san—"

"_Umiko._" They heard Hiranako-san—their principal, headmaster—whatever. "We don't really have a choice; she'll be a student—_your _student, as of next week."

A collective gasp gave away their not–so–subtle eavesdropping towards their teachers, which, by the way, earned them an hour–long lecture about "respecting your elders" and how "eavesdropping is disrespectful and impolite."

But of course, the news spread like wildfire throughout Teikoku Gakuen. After all, it'd only been a month since school started - a transfer student so early in the school year was rather odd.

Of course, because it was a _she, _the girls' imagination was running wild…

"Maybe she's a transfer student from America—"

"Ugh! That sucks—!"

"—I know right! Tall, blonde, blue eyes and curvy—!"

"And she probably knows all about Amefuto—!"

On this day, a particular quartet of girls wailed and moaned over the new student. Transfer students were usually received in the middle of the year and not in the beginning—especially after only a month of the school year.

"—She's probably rich and snobby—"

"Sumimasen." The short brunette was cut off by a petite noirette with brilliant blue eyes. They all paused to stare unabashedly at the girl with the soft voice. "Sumimasen, for interrupting your conversation but can you point me towards the office?"

They nodded numbly, their eyes never leaving her face, and pointed—rather, flung their arms in the direction of the temple-like structure within the coliseum carbon copy that served as their office.

The small girl offered them a dazzling smile akin to the sun before gracefully passing them.

"Wow."

"She's gorgeous."

"And curvy."

"Her eyes—!"

"Probably half-Japanese."

"But her smile though—"

"Do you think she whitens her teeth?" The quartette quieted in thought. "Probably."

* * *

Koizumi Karin was a pretty girl—petite with feminine features and assets and eye-catching golden locks and warm brown eyes, she was definitely "pretty." But she was undoubtedly shy and modest. She was soft spoken and tended to blush and stutter whenever she spoke and because of that she was deemed "too cute" and unfortunately was either ignored or laughed at.

So when she heard some girls in her class talking horribly about the new student, she of course wanted to stop their horrible predictions.

"She's probably slutty and rich, ya know? I mean she probably bribed the school to let her in—"

"Eto, Misame-san—" Karin was cut off by the angry rant coming from Misame.

"—I mean, we worked really hard to get into Teikoku and she _just _gets in? What the Hell?! She probably didn't even take the entrance exam—probably stupid—"

"I don't think—" Karin tried again.

"If she thinks she can come here and think she freakin owns the place—she has another thing coming—"

"Who has another thing coming?" A soft, gentle voice asked. The class was mostly empty save for a few early birds and those who had club activities in the morning—Karin included—blinked in surprise and turned towards the voice.

Standing in the door way was a girl whom they'd never seen before and their principal. The girl's head brushed the tip of the greying principal's nose. She was pretty. Very pretty. And undoubtedly the new student.

"Higurashi-san," Hiranako-san placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, "This is your class—I hope you settle in well." With that Hiranako-san disappeared from view, the distinctive tapping of his loafers against the floor echoing back to their class.

For the first moment, they stared at her. Examining her.

Surprisingly, she let them, her own eyes flickering over her…_classmates _appearances. They all looked so different from her classmates since grade school. She then offered them a warm smile. "My name is Higurashi Kagome." She bowed her head politely, "Please take care of me."

"Er—I'm Mitoko Misame," Misame blinked furiously, striding towards Kagome—almost tripping over her own feet. "And for who has it coming…I…uh, meant that for _you _but…"

Kagome laughed, a bright smile on her face, shocking the audience around them. "It's alright, I get it; I'm the new student and it being so early in the year…" Kagome let her sentence trail off, her sentence self-explanatory.

"Eto…Gomen ne…"

Karin had one thought after Kagome smiled and insisted there was nothing to be sorry about. _There's no way that someone can be that nice. _But Kagome just smile and laughed off Misame's apologies.

"Ah, you must be Higurashi Kagome-san," Shizuka-sensei entered the full classroom, her eyes landing on an unfamiliar face; the new student no doubt, "Pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure is mine, Sensei." Kagome replied politely with a smile—the kind of polite smile you give to acquaintances.

Shizuka smile in return, "Seeing as you've already taken a seat,"—Shizuka gestures to the window seat Kagome had claimed surrounded by her smiling peers—"I can start class." Again, Karin watched the newest addition to their class expertly make another friend—effortlessly and easily. The blonde couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealously; Kagome was already making herself the popular girl within an hour of arriving.

Karin sighed in resignation as the lesson began; it was impossible _not _to be entranced by the girl. She wasn't _fake_; her smiles, laughs and expressions were _real_ and _captivating_. A single look and people would find themselves gravitating towards Kagome's smiling face—herself [Karin] included.

Kagome seemed like a real-life Mary Sue…

* * *

"Kagome-san,"—the girl had insisted everyone call her by her given name rather than her family name—"were you here all of Lunch Hour?" Karin couldn't quite grasp her own question, seeing as she's heard—from all the way down the hall—her classmates inviting her to eat lunch with their friends [read: cliques].

"Hm?" Kagome hummed, glancing upwards and offering the blonde a small smile, "Oh, hai." At Karin's surprised expression she let out a airy laugh, "I'm…what is to say, _studying…_" Karin realized what was splayed out in front of the girl was a math textbook and not her bento. "But don't worry, Karin-chan!" Kagome offered the blonde a incredibly bright smile—but that wasn't what had Karin reeling but rather the fact Kagome had even remembered her name [seeing as Misame and had just jabbed a thumb in her direction and introduced her]. "I ate something."

"Ah, hai…" Karin fidgeted in the doorway, waiting for the bell's shrill ringing to fill the awkward silence. But when that didn't happen, Karin could only realize the horror of starting a conversation… "Ah, K-Kagome-san—" "Kagome-_chan_." "—er, Kagome-chan," the honorific left a strange taste in her mouth, "H-H-Have y-you d-decided on a c-club to j-join?" She silently cursed her habit of stuttering.

"Ie," Kagome replied smoothly, eyes flitting from the textbook for a second. "Are you in any clubs or committees?"

Karin nodded her head shyly, a blush on her cheeks as Kagome gave her full attention. "And?" Karin breathed in deeply, "I-I-I'm in the A-Art C-Club."

Kagome cocked her head to the side, as if in thought. Karin averted her eyes and focused on everything other than the blue-eyed girl. "Can I join?" Karin blinked. What had Kagome said? "Can I join?" Amusement laced the other girl's voice. Had she said that out loud? "You're thinking out loud, Karin-chan."

Karin bit her lip and ducked her head in embarrassment. "S-Sure…"

Kagome's beaming expression had Karin turning a deeper shade of red.

* * *

Karin almost suffocated as her senpai continued her choke hold squealing. "A-A-Asako-senpai…" Karin wheezed as the older, lilac-haired girl continued to squeeze the life out of her. Mochida Asako with her vibrant hair only hugged Karin tighter and squealed in delight and approval.

"Karin-chan, you're so reliable!" The third year squealed in delight, "Bringing the new student here—! Oh! This will make great strides for the Art Club!" All the while Karin was being suffocated slowly Kagome had taken her time to examine the Art Club's room. It was large with rows of tiered desks—carved with Roman and Greek designs—and large floor to ceiling cabinets on the wall next to the door. Across from that, at the back of the room—and behind the desks—were large windows, the sun dampened by soft blinds.

Kagome smiled. The room seemed dedicated to Art as its members whom sat at the desks working on their own pieces quietly—within their own world. _Dedicated_. That was the word that came to mind when Kagome observed them.

She turned to look at the President of the Club, only to find herself feeling awkward watching the situation she was in. The President seemed as eccentric as Shizuka-sensei. "Ah, Asako-senpai…"

"Yes! That's me!" The lilac haired third year rushed to Kagome's side, dropping Karin in the process.

Fortunately, the girl was able to breathe again—showcased by the huge, gasping breaths she was inhaling. Unfortunately, Karin had been dropped face first and would undoubtedly have a bump later on. "Itai…" the blonde murmured, rubbing her hands over her face gently, wincing when she touched her forehead. "Ita-ta-ta…" She chanted quietly.

Karin whined slightly but was ignored by her abusive senpai in favour of Kagomd.

Asako had no given Kagome her full attention. "What is the Art Club's goal?" Asako blinked at the question, genuinely surprised. Kagome watched as the girl's bubbly expression was schooled into a serious one.

"In the Art Club our goal is simple—to express ourselves." Asako paused, "Of course, it hasn't always been like that but it has under my rule." _She sounds like some kind of dictator_, Kagome thought idly. "Art is silent song—a silent language, filled with thousands of inexpressible words that cannot be heard but speaks volumes—! Art is—"

"Asako-senpai," Kagome interrupted. "I simply asked for the _goal_, not the entire philosophy surrounding Art—visual or otherwise—and I really appreciate your dedication but I've trying to tell you for the past five minutes is that I want to join."

"Great!" Asako beamed, reverting to her former, eccentric and bubbly self. "Since it's almost the end of individual activities I'll just introduce you everyone and we'll get started!"

Asako was positively overjoyed with Kagome's joining—she was practically bouncing off the walls as she celebrated. Kagome only shook her head and walked over to Karin. The blonde was leaning against the wall, holding her head in her hand and looking rather dizzy.

"Ne, Karin-chan... Are you alright?"

"…I-I'm f-fine," Karin mumbled.

Kagome snapped her fingers beside Karin's ears. The blonde jumped slightly, "K-Kagome-chan?"

"Are your ears ringing?" Karin shook her head, Kagome only asked, "How many fingers am I holding up?" holding up her pointer and pinky fingers.

"Two."

"Are you dizzy? Do you feel nauseous?"

"Ie," Karin replied softly, "Ano…W-Why're y-you asking t-these questions…?"

"Checking to see if you have a concussion," Kagome answered curtly, straightening.

Karin blinked in surprise. Karin was about to ask her more but was interrupted by Asako yelling for Kagome to stand beside her so she could introduce her to everyone. Then, as if an afterthought, Asako told her to: "Move your ass, Higurashi, I don't have all day!" showcasing the President's bipolar personality effortlessly.

Karin held back a look of surprise at the pure joy that sprouted across Kagome's face at the demand. Most people would've been miffed or offended yet Kagome just took it all in stride…

_She really is a Mary Sue…_

At this point, with her magical smile, medical skills, charisma and looks, Karin wouldn't be surprised if she was some kind of superhero attempting to live a civilian life after a traumatic event that left her scarred…

In the back of her head, Karin idly questioned when she became so morbid and pessimistic…

* * *

Karin glanced nervously at the girl beside her. "N-Ne, Kagome-chan, d-did you enjoy y-yourself?"

Kagome hummed in response, "Although Asako-senpai's mood swings were a tad difficult to deal with?" _A tad? _Karin echoed in her mind, _Asako'senpai's mood swings are impossible to deal with…_

Kagome paused and Karin halted at the same time. Following Kagome's eyes, she watched as the school's pride and joy practiced. "The Amefuto team, right?" Karin questioned, not at all familiar with the sport.

"Mhmm," Kagome nodded her head. "They're really dedicated aren't they…?" Kagome seemed dazed, and Karin bit her lip to keep from answering, she seemed like she was talking to herself. "It brings back memories…" Karin blinked as Kagome continued to murmur to herself. "I wonder how Take-kun is doing…"

_Take-kun? _

Karin eyed the transferee as she continued to watch the field with a sidelong glance, even when a booming voice thundered over it demanding for everyone to clean up and that practice was over.

* * *

Deft fingers toyed with the ends of inky black hair. The soft strands curling around a thinly-scared finger. A soft breeze filled the air with the scent of cherry blossoms, nearing the end of their bloom. The smooth, rhythmic footsteps against the paved walkway a normality as students mingled and talked to one another; completely carefree now that it was after school hours.

Having departed from Karin a moment or two earlier, Kagome was now heading towards the student dorms. Moving with a practiced grace, Kagome manoeuvred through thinning crowd at Teikoku, shifting only slightly to eliminate any bumps; her shoulder-length hair swaying with each small movement. Her eyes slipped closed and a content smile tilted her lips –

A booming laugh and a muffled curse her only warning as she flattened herself against the wall, two upperclassmen rushing through – one, with a broad smile, the other, fuming; his shaved head reddening.

"Haha, they're rather energetic today," Kagome glanced upwards at the unusually tall male standing not far off from her, his eye glowing as he watched the upperclassmen turn a corner sharply, the angry one spewing out threats. His eyes shifted to her, "Are you okay?"

Kagome took in his appearance – noticing the pin on his collar that indicated his status as a first year – his wild, curly brown hair and eyes, just a shade of brown darker. "Hai," she answered, slipping of the wall.

"Those were good reflexes," he commented as she walked past him. Kagome paused, her eyes falling to his broad grin. He gave her a closed-eyed smile, "Maa, no need to be so defensive, ne?"

Kagome continued her walk to her locker. "I wouldn't call them reflexes," she said with a light laugh, voice light and airy. "I doubt that anyone didn't hear that."

She heard his laugh fading and his footsteps growing fainter as he walked away. A smile curled her lips slightly, "Maa, bad memory as always." Kagome mused quietly to herself, her locker clunking shut as she slipped her outdoor shoes over her heels.

She had noticed the light sheen of sweat over the boy's features. "And he's still rather sporty." A smile curved her lips as she disappeared from the room – her smile unnaturally bright.

Glacier blue eyes fell shut, a memory playing behind the raven haired girl's eyelids.

_"__Take-kun!" a childish peel of laughter filtered through the warm, spring air. Smiles littered the parents' faces as they watched the two children run around. "Slow down!" a young girl called._

_Her hair, the exact shade of black ink, was pulled into two bouncy pigtails at the sides of her head – just above her ears, her blue eyes shining as a bright laugh escaped her. Her arms were outstretched and her chubby, childish fingers grasped at open air as she continued to chase the boy so much taller than her._

_Brown hair curled wildly on the boy's head like a crown of curls. A blinding smile on the boy's sun-kissed face – tanned from hours upon hours of outdoor play. "Haha, catch me if you can, Koneko-chan!" he called back, increasing his pace and earning himself a giggle from his playmate._

_Despite being the same age, the girl only stood at his shoulder, which amused him to no end. And with her shy, soft-spoken demeanor, he'd dubbed her his, "Koneko-chan." _

_"__I got – " the girl declared only to slip and fall. "Uwah!"_

_Take-kun, as Koneko-chan so enduringly called him, paused worriedly and ran back towards the girl. A man stepped forward, almost an exact twin of the girl if not for the age difference, his handsome, youthful face marred by a worried frown – only to turn upwards in a smile as his daughter launched herself at the boy._

_"__Koneko – " Take-kun whined as he fell._

_Bright laughter filled the air again._

Blue eyes revealed themselves from behind milky eyelids. A soft smile fought its way to the girl's twitching lips and Kagome found herself looking at the sky. A stray ray of sunlight caught a silvery glimmer on the girl's cheek.

"It seems no matter where I am... I cannot run away from the past..."

* * *

**A/N:**

**I originally wanted to do this in a non-existant Feudal Era A.U but after months of serious contemplation and ridiculous theories... I decided on this! In this story, the Feudal Era Adventure did exist! You CANNOT remove such a significant part of Kagome's life without some kind of super solid, earthquake-proof back story.**


	2. Desolation

**Thank you so much to those who reviewed, favourited, followed and read my story. You guys make me feel so heart skipped a beat every time I received an e-mail from concerning _Mask _\- I think I cried!  
**

**P.S **

**I also fixed the mishaps in the Prologue - including calling it the 'Prologue' - it seems didn't save my linebreaks... : (**

* * *

**Chapter One – Desolation **

Black hair sprawled out on pristine, simple white sheets – standing out from the paler shade. Kagome blinked blankly at the stucco ceiling, her face unreadable as she simply lay on the twin bed provided in her dorm. Absently, she twirled a strand of her hair around her finger – twisting and pulling every which way.

"Mmmm..." she hummed, sitting up. Kagome drew her knees to her chest, propping her elbows upon them and crossing her arms, resting her chin on the crook created by her wrists. "It's kind of lonely here..."

It'd been a week since she'd moved to Osaka and a week since she'd started attending Teikoku. Kagome, though used to spending long periods of time from her family, had always spent that time in the company of others and now the absence of people around her... It made her feel lonely.

Very lonely.

Then again, she'd rather be alone then in a room where mindless chatter would float through the walls and the TV's volume turned up high. The silence was somewhat comforting and the student dorms provided just that.

The student dorm provided for her was bare save the essentials. The twin bed was dressed in simple cotton sheets and pushed up against the wall – a large window on one side and a nightstand on the other. A desk was wedged into the corner adjacent the bed, a simple wooden chair its partner. Several floating shelves were anchored to the wall beside it – bare save for a few stray textbooks. A barren bookcase was placed beside the door frame, just a hair's width from the door's reach. A dresser was squeezed between the bookcase and the wall, a cabinet above it.

She supposed they attempted to soften the room with the cream colored walls and ivory curtains but Kagome still felt she was living in a hotel room – a place that didn't feel like home.

And at the moment, she missed her home...but she didn't actually know _where _her home was at the moment...

A soft, quiet ringing filled the room and Kagome lazily rolled onto her back, her fingers stretching for the dancing cell phone on the nightstand. With a flick of her wrist, she flipped her phone open. "Moshi Moshi?"

_[Kagome?] _

"Kaa-san?"

There was light laugh on the other end of the line and a crash – some inaudible yelling in the background. _[Hai, it is. How are you, Kagome?]_

A smile, a true smile, crept onto the blue-eyed girl's face as she leaned back against the headboard. "I'm doing good, Kaa-san – my first week went without a hitch... The people here are rather welcoming and the scenery is mesmerizing – I can see why you loved it here, Kaa-san."

_[Yes, it's rather beautiful there, ne?]_ Kagome could practically hear the smile in her mother's voice_, [I think what I miss about most though is the takoyaki.]_

A giggle escaped her lips, "Mm, I've heard it's fabulous – haven't tried it yet."

_[You use to love it – do you remember Hitomi-san? You use to call him Mi-jii-chan, and you absolutely adored the takoyaki he made at his shop...] _the nostalgia in her voice was almost painful to hear. _[Have you been eating, Kagome?]_

"Of course, Kaa-san," Kagome reassured, "I'm not a little kid anymore, I'm more than capable of handling myself."

_[Wah, I miss the days when you use to chase after me asking me how to do this or asking for my help – you could barely sit still.]_

"I did have a reason..." Kagome defended, "It was very hard sitting still because if you did you'd miss all the fun."

Mariko laughed at her daughter's reasoning. _[Maa, you inherited your father's nerves – that man could never sit still.]_

"Nobody, it seems, at Teikoku can – especially those sports' fanatics." Kagome mused, "Which reminds me, I joined the Art Club."

_[Really?]_ The shock was evident in Mariko's voice. _[Is it still the same?]_

"Mhmm," Kagome hummed her confirmation, "Exactly how you described it, although they're only a handful of students – maybe eleven, twelve including me."

_[Well, then the Amefuto team is still as popular as ever, ne?]_

"It's almost scary how accurate you are in your assumptions, Kaa-san," Kagome teased lightly. "I saw them practicing today – they're rather loud and rambunctious."

_[Wah, well they are very serious about the sport.]_

Kagome smiled and a comfortable silence filled the room. She felt an inkling of longing towards her mother's presence. _[Ne, Kagome] _the tone in her voice made Kagome stiffen. A slight scowl settling on her features and tightening her lips, _[Are you okay?]_

"I'm fine, Kaa-san," her tone was clipped and though polite, icy.

_[Are you sure?]_

"Yes."

_[Kagome – ]_

"I have homework," Kagome cut her off quickly with the lie, her lips pulled back in a silent snarl. "Goodnight, Kaa-san – tell Souta and Jii-san that as well." She didn't wait for her mother's response, ending the call with a swift push of a button.

An angry hiss escaped Kagome mouth, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the object in her hand. Guilt swelled in her chest slightly but she squished the ballooning feeling down in favor of her anger. "I'm fine," she repeated to herself, "I'm fine..."

_A flash of red appeared in the darkness and red eyes glowed positively murderous. _

Her scarred fingers clutched her phone tightly, "I'm fine."

A twisted smile tilted her lips. "He said I'd be fine."

Silvery streaks stained pale cheeks in the growing darkness.

* * *

"Ohayo," Kagome greeted Karin, giving the blonde a warm smile. The soft-spoken girl allowed her a timid smile in return.

"Ohayo," Karin greeted in return, closing her locker with a click. "I didn't see Kagome-sa – Kagome-chan" – she corrected herself quickly, remembering the girl's insistence the first day before – "as I walked to school today or last week. You must live close by."

"I suppose so," the blue-eyed girl's voice was laced with amusement. Karin fell into step with her leisurely yet rapid pace. "I live in the student dorms."

Karin paused before resuming in walking. The revelation surprised her some seeing as many of the students living in the student dorms were on sports' scholarships or academic scholarships – many of the schools' artists were from around the area – and Kagome, as far as she was aware was neither.

"I... I didn't expect that..." the blonde admitted softly.

Kagome hummed in response, her eyes half-open. "I don't suppose you would since I'm not here on a scholarship." A laugh escaped her, "My father went here as a student. Hiranako-san is an old friend of his so he gave me a bit of leeway – it was, after all, a favor my mother pulled."

If Karin had paid more attention the noirette's tone of voice, she would've detected the hint of venom as she spoke of the woman and the tinge of sadness that coated her voice as she spoke of her father.

Karin was oblivious to the emotions in her voice. Instead, blinked and responded in a quiet voice. "I was actually wondering about that... We heard Hiranako-san speaking of you before you transfer and it was surprising since he doesn't tend to allow students to transfer so early..."

Kagome nodded. "I myself didn't expect he'd agree seeing as I'd only met him a handful of times – in fact, I can count the amount of times I've met him on one hand."

Karin's eyes widened marginally at the information.

Hiranako Hitoshi was known for being rather strict and not at all very affectionate. His display of affection for the transfer on her first day had ignited some rumors but this newfound information explained some.

But now, Karin wondered if the principle [headmaster] was so kind to all of his close friends and their families if the kindness towards Kagome's was anything to go by.

* * *

Karin chose to buy her lunch from the canteen instead of making herself a bento.

Her mother, a caterer, had had the day off which allowed the free-spirited woman to experiment new recipes, and thus, hogging the kitchen to herself. Her father typically bought lunch for himself on the way to work and her brother would simple smooch of his friends or grab leftovers which left her with little choice.

And as the bell tolled, and the class dismissed and chairs scraped on the tiled floor and the flood of chatter rose, she noticed that Kagome had yet to move.

"Maa, Kagome-chan," Misame leaned onto the girl's desk. "You know, a lot of the school has yet to meet the new transferee, including my friends and since you're in my class – "

"I'm actually going to stay here, Misame-chan."

Misame frowned, shifting uncomfortably. "But – "

"I'm staying."

The coolness in her voice sent shivers down Karin's spine and the room seemed to freeze for a moment. Everyone had paused and turned to look at the transferee. Misame herself and frozen, her eyes wide and mouth hitched.

A bright smile flashed onto Kagome's face. "Don't worry, I'll be fine – I just want to catch up on what we're learning, I wasn't exactly learning the same thing at my old school."

The spell came undone and slowly the class trickled out until Karin and Kagome remained.

"Kagome-chan – "

"I'm fine," Kagome's voice was icy but much less so than her tone with Misame, "Go eat."

Reluctantly, Karin followed the girl's demands as blue eyes watched her exit the room. Hazel eyes glanced over her shoulder, glimpsing the noirette resuming in reading the literature book before her.

Karin frowned.

* * *

Ever since the incident at lunch, the class had given Kagome a wide berth – even their teachers had opted out of choosing her despite the ever-constant smile on her pretty face. Of course, many of their peers had labeled her irritability on _hormones_...

The isolation didn't seem to faze Kagome in the least – in fact, the girl seemed happier if the smile on her face was anything to go by.

Karin slowly gulped, a sweat breaking out on her forehead.

She'd been jittery ever since the incident. The blonde often found her eyes fluttering over to Kagome. Karin shook her head lightly, rubbing her palm against the hem of her skirt. Hazel eyes slipped over to the noirette only to meet piercing blue eyes.

The blonde stiffened before waving subtly out of Shizuka-sensei's view. An elegant black brow rose in response before blue eyes darted to the front then back at her, rolling her eyes in the direction they should've been facing.

Karin complied, nibbling on her lip before her eyes focused on Shizuka-sensei again. Not noticing the sheen of sweat on Kagome's face or the tensing of her shoulders, as if she was prepared to run.

" – the Feudal Era was a time of chaos, as the name of the era suggests, with the constant battle for power. Now, because of all the death, disease was brought on by contaminated water and soil from blood and such plus the scavenger animals – rats, crows and such – that fed on the decomposing corpses – "

Shizuka-sensei proceeded to draw a skeleton on the board with loose traditional armour and what appeared to be several animals burrowing into what was left of the body; the gaping eye cavities staring directly at Karin.

"However," Shizuka-sensei eyed them with a sense of child-like glee, "The Feudal Era was a time of great superstition, and the knowledge of how diseases were spread was yet unknown and so the belief was that these diseases were caused by youkai!"

_Obsidian eyes stared coldly into her own eyes, white hair and pale skin making the eyes seem even more ominous. Her reflection stared back at her, fear written all over her face. _

_A dim glow lit the room and she felt her body stay rooted to the ground but her strength leaving her – her body weakening as if she were dying._

Shizuka-sensei let out a delighted laugh and skipped along the front, erasing her skeleton. "Youkai, or evil spirits, were thought to be the root of all evil and a plague – thus the creation of a supposed society that were experts in the art of killing demons known as tajiya, or demon slayers, other people employed for this were holy people who had holy energy and were gifted with the capability of purifying these youkai – "

_An arrow raced through the darkening sky, the clouds a sickly purple and the air thickening. The arrow's pinkish hue lit up the area like a star – and like that, the smell of fresh air pierced the stench of death. _

_A wailing, agonizing cry was heard as the arrow buried itself deeply into the green flesh of the demon._

"Because of their capabilities and their status as servants to the gods, priestesses, priests, monks and other holy people were held in high regard." The sound of chalk scraping against the blackboard paused and the picture of a woman in traditional miko garbs was revealed. "Youkai and those with the blood of youkai – like hanyou or half-demons – and holy people were considered sworn enemies."

_"Miko-sama, can you tell me why one such as yourself dare travels with the likes of that thing?" the appalled tone set an unease in Kagome's chest as she followed the accusing eyes to her silver-haired companion, amber eyes staring at them angrily in return_.

"Ne, Sensei, even if hanyou existed wouldn't hanyou be considered good since they are half-human?"

Shizuka smiled happily, "Ie, Mori-kun, half-demons were considered an abomination to all – "

_"I'm not human nor demon – I don't belong to either," Inuyasha spoke up after a moment of silence, "I had to make my own place in this world."_

A hand shot into the air.

Shizuka-sensei blinked in confusion before realizing who the hand belonged to. "Kagome-chan?"

"Sensei," Kagome stood up as she spoke, her smile absent and a dazed look in her eyes, "May I please use the washroom?"

"Ah... hai..." Shizuka-sensei had barely responded before the shrill ringing of the bell filled the school, ending the school day. The spectacled adult frowned, eyes narrowed at the clock. "Class dismissed. We'll just continue tomorrow."

An inaudible sigh left Kagome, her lips tightening as her eyes fell to the floor. _Breathe_, she thought, _just breathe. _She slowly exhaled and gathered her supplies before exiting the classroom quickly. Her feet barely made a sound as she raced through the quickly flooding hallways, her books clutched to her chest and breathing uneven. Blue eyes were hidden behind eyelids screwed shut as an image played in her mind.

_Blue irises contrasted against red, sharp fangs were bared and claws were held to eye-level. Deep purple markings marred olive skin and highlighting the demonic features of the male before her. _

_A growl escaped his throat._

Kagome's hand flew out just as she snapped her eyes open, clutching the door and slamming it open. Notes, papers, books, pens and pencils hit and scattered across the tiled floor like water splattering.

The sound of running water and heavy breathing filled the washroom.

Kagome slipped her cupped hands underneath the stream of cold water, her hands flying towards her and splashing her face with the icy liquid.

Breathe.

Cup.

Splash.

Repeat.

Water ran down her face and hair, her uniforms collar and shoulders soaked. The faucet hissed as water continued to pour out at a fast pace. But the sound of her heart beating in her ears drowned out the insistent noise. Hands clutched the edge of the sink, nails attempting to carve into the porcelain.

Kagome stared at her ragged appearance in the mirror.

Her shoulder-length hair was limp and damp and face beaded with water and sweat. She'd gone a shade paler despite the adrenaline coursing through her. Blue eyes stared at themselves in the reflection, not knowing her own emotions in her eyes.

She threw herself forward, hands clutching the sink for support.

_Long black hair fell in contrast to the white haori she wore. Pale hands hung at the sides of red hakama. A cool, collected expression was on the woman's face – her face. Dark, hollow eyes stared into her blue ones. _

_A smile tiled the woman's lips._

_A cruel, pitying smile. Just for her._

"Leave me alone..." Kagome whispered, "Please... Just leave me alone..."

"K-K-Kagome-chan...?" The door was timidly pushed open.

Karin peeked through the crack, noticing Kagome's haphazard appearance and the scattered books and such on the washroom floor. Kagome looked sick. Her skin was pale but it had taken a sickly pale shade, her veins prominent – Karin couldn't tell if the liquid dripping down her face was water or sweat but she had a suspicion it was both.

Tentatively, the blonde slid the pocket door all way open. "K-Kagome-chan...?"

"I... don't feel so well..." Kagome croaked with a raspy voice, as if her vocal cords were being scraped against sand paper. Karin's golden eyebrows pinched together in worry as she frowned. _No, you don't, _the blonde thought, _you look like... You look like death... _"Ne, Karin-chan... I'm not going to Art Club today, okay? I don't think I'll be able to hold out..."

"D-Do you want me to take you to the infirmary?" Karin asked hovering over the noirette hunched over the sink. "P-Please, K-Kagome-chan, l-let me take you to the infirmary."

Kagome straightened. "I... I just have a headache..." her smile was strained and she leaned against the porcelain sink for support. "Maa... I'll be fine... Don't worry...Alright?"

Kagome's eyes opened to reveal twinkling blue eyes, her smile widening.

Karin stared, mesmerized at the moment. Numbly, she nodded but a part of her was itching to force the girl with her – to not leave her alone.

But she did.

Karin had barely blinked before realizing Kagome had gathered her books and already exited, the door swooshing closed behind her.

Karin stared at the door, frowning. "Kagome-chan..."

She hadn't realized it until now, but Kagome had often made excuses to leave during History class and didn't like being in a crowd. In Gym class, she noted, she'd often stand a little off to the side – still close to Karin – and talked very little in class unless spoken too. She also hated being the centre of attention – grimacing whenever their Gym teacher praised her on her performance.

In fact, it'd been a week but she didn't know anything about the girl other than her name and much more recently, she lived in the student dorms.

She _seemed _fine, though.

She was always smiling, she had a bit of a temper and was rather bold – she was a Mary-Sue.

Karin shook her head, exiting the washroom before Asako-senpai decided to sic some of the other Art Club members on her for being late.

"Kagome-chan just doesn't feel well..." she murmured to herself, "Kaa-san has been saying people have been getting sick recently... She's fine..."

But the look on her face...

_Desolation._

* * *

**A/N:**

**Can anyone guess what mental disorder Kagome has? Yes, she had a mental disorder - because what kind of reaction is that to a headache? Anyways, if you have an answer PM me. I'll dedicate the next chapter to you. Anyways, I also wanted you guys to guess why she moved to Osaka and her past their - hint, hint, it includes her late father... I think I'll call him Kagami or Yasu - names? **

**Thank you all for reading~! _Stranxzze._**

**P.S**

**Don't forget - REVIEW! Because reading them make me feel so special.**


	3. Substitute

**So this is a late update... And kind of short... Hehe? **

**Sorry guys, Mother's Day and having no school on Monday made me really lazy. Just to let you now, I do try to do weekly updates - so every Sunday - which is hard but I'll try to have the fourth chapter done by this Sunday to make up for the late update!**

* * *

**Chapter Two – Substitute  
**

Karin expected that Kagome wouldn't come to school today. The noirette, after all, looked as if she had needed to be in the ICU of the hospital. The blonde shivered at the memory that surfaced. _She looked so...desperate..._

"Lost in our thoughts are we," a familiar voice mused. Karin turned, shocked to meet Kagome's blue orbs. A soft gasp escaped Karin's lips as she took in Kagome's appearance.

Her dark, shoulder length, hair was combed but it looked greasy – not at all like its usual pristine state. Her skin was still an unhealthy shade – a shade paler than her usual tone. There was a heaviness in the girl's face – as if she'd aged a decade over night.

"K-Kagome-chan... S-S-Shouldn't y-you be in b-bed...?"

"Hm?" Kagome placed a hand against her face, "Despite my appearance... I'm feeling much better today... Besides, I can't really stay in bed for so long – I'm used to moving around a lot...that, and sleep... It doesn't come to me very easily..." The teen tilted to her head to the side, almost dismissing her own words. "Besides, I think it is _you _who should be staying home?"

"E-Eh? W-What's K-K-Kagome-chan t-talking a-about?" Karin stammered, eyes widening. She pulled at a starnd of her own blonde hair.

"Your stuttering has gotten worse – it means you're nervous or anxious. Your toes keep on tapping against the ground and your eyes keep darting from side to side. Also, you look anxious enough to heave up what's in your stomach."

"E-Eh?" Karin didn't know whether to be shocked by the fact Kagome saw and picked up all of this or rather she knew her habits within less than a month while some of her childhood friends hadn't -

The bell tolled. The differentiating pitches echoing through the cavernous walls.

Kagome spared Karin a backwards glance. "Humans are very weak creatures, Karin. It's very hard for us to cover the fact we're in pain for very long."

Karin blinked confusedly at Kagome's words – not noticing the how the girl discarded any honorifics.

What had the girl meant by her cryptic words?

_Kagome glared up a the green-haired demon - his bitterness permeating the air. It made her feel sick. "Heh." he scoffed, "Humans are weak."_

Kagome sighed, continuing to walk forward. She'd always disbelieved Hoshiyomi's words - after all, he had come to regret them - but now... It was becoming evident what he meant.

_"Demons don't need such petty emotions yet you humans thrive off of it - that is what sets s apart. We feel to coolly while you feel to strongly."[i] An almost sad expression flashed across her face. "And eventually it becomes so evident that emotions are truly the ultimate weapon." [ii]_

* * *

Kagome had pulled her hair away from her face, its unkempt state disgusting her. She'd set her math note books in front of her, reading them and editing them with each passing day to make it more manageable for herself.

However...

Kagome raised a questioning brow as the blonde who had taken the empty seat beside her. Up until now, Karin, without fail, always retreated from the room and eaten her lunch elsewhere. The blonde was fidgeting endlessly, her eyes darting from side to side – anxious.

"Karin-chan," Kagome nearly laughed at the way Karin jumped – the blonde almost launching herself a clear metre into the air [Her lips pulled up in a large smile though]. "You act as if a monster will come out and kidnap you. _As someone who speaks from experience... Knowing and assuming won't help you – they can and will strike at any time. The best choice is to ready yourself but even then, you can't prepare yourself... _

_The sound of wood flying apart froze her to thr gound, eyes widening in shock and fear and horror. Three pairs of arms wrapped around her, a raspy voice hissing into her ear. "You have it! Give it to me, give mt the Jewel!"_

Kagome's thoughts were broken as Karin let out a shrill scream. "_Kyaaaa_!"

Kagome froze as the usually timid girl shoved her out of her chair to stand in front of the cowering girl, using her as a shield, shaking behind the noirette. Kagome shook herself gently, attempting to get Karin off of her – and from tearing holes through her jacket's sleeves with her manicured fingernails.

"That's rude – I don't think I'm that unattractive." A light voice chuckled in amusement despite the bluntness to his words.

Kagome's eyes shifted from the trembling blonde behind her to the towering male figure ducking beneath the doorway, propped up coolly against the door frame. His arms and ankles were crossed, a smile on his face as he stared at them coolly.

Ah, _him_.

"Y-Y-Yamato-san..." Karin greeted weakly, her voice muffled by Kagome's jacket.

"Yo, Karin," Yamato returned, "And her friend..."

Kagome ignored him, tearing herself from Karin's iron grip with a swift jerk. _His eidetic memory astounds me_, she thought sarcastically. Idly, she dusted imaginary dust off her shoulders and straightened her uniform. "I'll leave you two to it."

Despite what most people believed, she _did_ hold grudges - and she still held some contempt towards the male with unruly hair and blinding smiles and his annoyingly bright attitude -

_Ugh_. She still hadn't forgiven him for what he did either.

Yamato's eyes crinkled. "Rather thoughtful despite your cool demeanor, ne? Are you a Tsundere? You don't seem to be the Mary-Sue that everyone makes you out to be."

Kagome wasn't fazed by his forwardness at all. "Who said I was ever a Mary-Sue? I could be a Yandere acting like a Mary-Sue."

Karin blanched at Kagome's proposal...

Yamato laughed at the noirette's proposal on the other hand. "Why so defensive?"

Kagome paused in mid-step, halfway out the doorway and stood beside Yamato for a moment. The running back was standing at his full height – a full thirty-one centimetres above Kagome's head – and staring at the girl with something akin to amusement.

"You're a football player aren't you, _Emperor Yamato-sama_?" Kagome stabbed, using the pet name his fans had so lovingly called him. "A good defense is required to protect a weak inside, ne?"

A look of surprise flew across Yamato's face for moment – fully understanding her comparison. Karin wasn't much better, openly gaping at the girl. Neither said a word as Kagome took her leave, silently.

Yamato stared after her for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his handsome, sun-kissed face. Karin hadn't noticed but his dark eyes, a shade darker than his hair, had sharpened and narrowed as he watched her.

Slowly, in an almost robotic movement, the tall teen turned his head to Karin, a bright smile on his face. Karin flinched back, her hands pressing against the wall for support.

A nervous laugh squeezed out of her throat, a cold sweat pooling on her golden eyebrows.

Yamato's smile broadened as he took on a lax stance once more, casually leaning against the door.

"You're coming to practice today, ne?"

* * *

Karin, for the lack of a better word, had forgotten or rather avoided Kagome for the rest of the day. Despite the blonde's quite and modest demeanor – which showed how insecure she was about herself – she had a warmth, an innocent warmth, around her that Kagome found somewhat comforting. In layman's term, she liked spending time with Karin.

And she liked the innocent aura she gave off.

The closest comparison she could think of was a child.

_A bright smile flashed across the young girl's face. Her small bare feet pounded against the ground as she ran to the tall, silver-haired male she so loyally followed. _

Discretely, Kagome placed a hand over her chest – just above her heart. The fast rhythmic beating was erratic against her fingertips.

_My heart..._

Kagome slowly leaned back into her chair, crossing her arms and releasing a silent breath.

It looked like she was sighing.

She was trying to stop herself from having a heart attack and a mental breakdown at the same time.

Sure, she made it looked easy but it hurt like Hell.

And it was very distracting.

She was already well behind in school because of her situation – of course, her excuse was poor health, but now, she was _actually_ suffering from poor health. Kagome exhibited better physical abilities than some of her classmates – after all, she did a lot of running – but she could feel it.

She was weakening.

She often found herself staring at the ceiling instead of sleeping. Sleeping gave her nightmares and the nightmares gave her anxiety and the anxiety led to a full-blown phobia of dreaming – amazing really what a small amount of concealer and smiling could do.

_Thump. _Her heart wasn't doing much better than her mind - even if she did hate to admit it. Kagome frowned. Her mother's solution wasn't much of a solution and she be damned if she actually crawled to_ him _for help_. _

The fact that her mother actually kept in contact with him despite what he did...

She felt sick.

* * *

And she still felt sick. And now, angry, frustrated and the need to break someone's face - preferably with a steel chair with spikes.

When Kagome entered the Art Club's room, she had fully anticipated for Asako-senpai to jump her, screaming all the way about taking care of her herself and demanding at the same time why she hadn't come to the Art Club yesterday.

It was silent.

Eerily silent.

Many of the members were huddled in the corner, peeking out from one of the desks while Asako stood in the middle of the room, her back turned to the first year. A letter was in her hand, one with the school's twin-headed eagle insignia embossed in gold onto it.

Kagome 's eyebrows raised to her hairline in confusion. Despite being small, she knew the school prided itself in the ability of their Art Club to simple shut it down –

"NO!"

Asako's earth shattering scream tore through the silence viscously.

"No! NO! _NO_!" she shrieked childishly, stomping her feet angrily. "Why? WHY? _WHY_? Why do

they have to do this?! They took my babies!"

_Babies_?

That meant Karin and herself... But she was here... So they only had Karin...?

" – stupid fucking Amefuto Club!"

_Ah_.

Wait...

"What?" Kagome finally found her voice, "What?"

"You!" Asako reeled back and turned on the girl, snarling like a feral animal. "Why're you transferring to the Amefuto Club?! It's filled with adrenaline junkies and brutes – ! What the Hell?! Do you even know what they'll do to you?!"

"What?"

Asako seethed, practically shoving the tattered letter down her throat. Kagome slowly peeled the paper from her face, deliberately trying not to piss her senpai off more.

To the President of the Art Club, Mochida, Asako,

Although not entirely rare concerning the Athletic Department of Teikoku Gakuen, the Amefuto Club has requested for the transfer of two students in the Art Club:

1 – C. Higurashi, Kagome

1 – C. Koizumi, Karin.

They are to transfer immediately.

We do apologize in advance for the inconvenience that this might cause in the future.

Sincerely,

The Faculty Advisor of the Amefuto Club,

Higure, Satoshi.

Kagome stared.

"_What_?!"

* * *

Kagome sat in the word, red leather seat in the principal's office. Her foot was tapping impatiently on the ground, and her arms crossed angrily. A scowl was permanently carved into her doll-like features.

She'd raised Hell in the office after storming out of the clubroom.

Nobody could comprehend how the well-mannered girl had turned into a violent demon. Trembling, the middle-aged secretary had stammered for her to wait in the office while she paged the principal from wherever the Hell he was in the school.

The door opened with a soft creak and Kagome shot up.

Hiranako Hatoshi stood in the door frame, tall and proud. His shoulders back, posture straight, expression firm and intimidating in his tweed gray suit. "Kagome," he greeted, the door closing with a click.

"What? No, 'Higurashi-san?'" Kagome snapped.

"Formalities are to be kept within the public, in private, I will address you as such." the man replied unfazed by her snippy tone and angry glare.

Kagome's annoyance grew if the deepening of her frown was any indication. "Why am I being transferred to the Amefuto Club – I'm content with being in the Art Club."

"Because I can."

"That isn't an answer," Kagome was appalled, "Why?"

"Because you're becoming an introvert with mood swings."

"I can see why you're so popular."

"That tone of voice isn't appreciated, young lady. Drop the attitude or you can leave my office – my personal space – without the answer you are looking for, and you will perform the duties of a Manager for the Amefuto Club."

Kagome pressed her lips into a thin line, biting down on her tongue in annoyance. "Why?"

"Yamato-kun requested the other day for Koizumi-chan to transfer over – despite my reputation, I do only look out for the students and desire what is best for them; the opportunity he presented concerning Koizumi-chan was best for her – "

"She's fine."

"And then, he came here during the lunch hour and requested, no, rather demanded that you also join too – it seems you've caught his interest once again." Hiranako sat in the red chair's twin, looking at her straight in the eyes. "I think I've already given you enough freedoms, Kagome, and as your guardian, I think this is the best choice for you."

"You're not my guardian." Kagome threw the elderly man a scathing glare. "I don't need a guardian – I can take care of myself."

"Not from what I've heard." Hiranako said, "And not from what I've seen."

Kagome pulled back, her eyes leaving his and flitting over to the window draped in soft creams, scanning over files and folders and various amounts of paperwork, potted plants, the wood grain of the stained cherry oak cabinets – anything but the man in front of her.

"It's evident in the way you hide from me – in your face and performance." He added and the noirette slid a hand over her face, fingers curling over her nose and mouth.

A smile crossed his face. "Mariko was right – you have become very independent, too independent – "

The door slamming against the door frame cut his sentence in two, the rest of his words caught in his throat. His mouth shut; a contemplating expression on his face as he stared at the door.

* * *

Kagome curled herself into ball as soon as she reached her dorm room. She'd thrown herself unceremoniously onto the bed without a single care and curled herself into a small, compact ball - like an Armadillo.

"You've become too independent..." His words echoed in her mind hauntingly.

"I got yelled at for being too dependent and now I'm being scolded for being too independent." Kagome let out a dry laugh at the irony.

She rolled over onto her side, closing her eyes

_"Wah! Kagome! Inuyasha's bullying me!"_

_"Inuyasha! Sit!"_

_"Maa, Kagome-sama, aren't you acting too quickly?"_

_"Ie, Kagome-chan's actions are just right - the wicked should be punished justly." the tajiya hissed the last word, fingers clawing at the hand just millimeters from her bottom. "Ne? Crooked Monk."_

_"You wound me - "_

_"OI! Kagome! What did you do that for?!"_

_Gold eyes burned with fury._

"Being part of team..." Kagome murmured, "Is a poor substitute for a missing family..."

* * *

**FUCK IT. **

**I intended for Kagome to storm down to the field and yell and scream at Yamato but then I just got so into the conversation between her and Hiranako and... **

**FUCK. **

**I made myself sad and depressed and disappointed with this chapter... TAT**

**Anyways, send me reviews and PM's - seriously, nobody sent me PM's about my challenge in the last chapter... Smh. I feel ignored. PM me**

**PM me people and REVIEW! **

**Please...?**

**P.S**

**Check out my Tumblr and Instagram - it's my personal so you can see my face and stuff and my squad - the links are in my Bio. Also, I might set up a poll for a drawing I might draw for this story - feel free to send me your drawings and art too. **

**Vote. PM. Review. **


	4. Master and Servant

**A/N [Concerning Last Chapter (_Subsitute_)]:**

**[i] - was a referance to a line in S. H. Hinton's book, _The Outsiders_**

**[ii] - referance to a future OC of mind that will appear in a separate story that I might just add to this one for kicks... I think I might add her into this story [she's a youkai] and then the separate story will explain her relation to the Inuyasha characters.. yeah, that sounds about correct.. **

**So, it's almost midnight which means it's almost Monday but - hey! I kept my promise, I updated on Sunday! **

**I decided to do put some back story to Yamato's past - giving him a reason to be blunt and kind and gentleman-like and why he holds himself back from hurting others... I must admit, having Kagome bullied as a child fit perfectly into the story. **

**SPOILER: This chapter reveals why Yamato is so interest in Kagome...subtly, though.. See if you can catch it.**

* * *

**Chapter Three - Master and Servant  
**

Yamato Takeru was not new to the world of Amefuto. He`d been playing it since as long as he could remember – a gift from his father`s influence. His father had been one of the first generation Teikoku members to take the title of Christmas Bowl champions. Yamato Takehashi was tall as he was strong and fast and stubborn. He'd fallen in love with the sport – his love for it second to none but his wife and family – and proceeded to teach it to his son as soon as Takeru had been able to walk.

Yamato had become one and the same with the sport – it was as if he was born to play Amefuto with his build, height and natural abilities.

Sadly, he grew far too strong at far too a young age.

The Emperor could remember very little opponents whom he defeated so easily – the thrill that came with the challenge was never present, and thus, their sullen faces were never engraved into his mind.

At the age of six, Yamato Takeru had the skills to stand on par with someone twice his age – though not in power or speed – but _skill. _He kept his balance well for a six year old and barely fell over – and even if he did, he'd just walk it off with a laugh.

He could remember how scared some of his classmates were, as they looked up at him in a mixture of awe and horror.

_"__Eh? How can he do that?"_

_"__Ne, ne, do you think he's a Saiyan? Uwah! Maybe he can do Kamehameha?"_

_"__Kaa-san says Saiyan aren't real – people like them are monsters."_

_"__Eh? Takeru-kun is a monster?"_

He couldn't joke around like most kids would do when they were six. He couldn't pretend to be Goku or imitate the Kamehameha's signature movements – his classmates would've believed him.

But he was fine with that.

He had one friend. He called her Koneko-chan because she reminded him of a kitten – so defenceless but when put to the test, had their own little claws to defend themselves with. But she never used her claws to defend her, rather defend others.

People always hurt her but she never hurt them back, she'd stand there and take it but when it came to others being hurt... She'd jump in and take the punch, no matter how much it hurt. No matter how many tears filled her brilliant blue eyes and dark bruises like flowers bloomed on her pale skin.

It was that kind of mind set that Yamato at the tender age of six decided he'd never use his strength of the field because it hurt others.

Her bullies would be mean and pull her hair and sing the Kagome Kagome song around her. It made her cry.

He decided he'd always treat a girl with respect and do his best to make sure the girls he knew wouldn't ever get hurt or be abused. He always frowned when she was crying – it made him sad, it made everyone sad.

She often lied to keep her parents from questioning her injuries with a bright smile on her face and an excuse of tripping and falling; blaming her clumsiness.

Later, he'd go to Hajime-oji-san and say how Koneko-chan got hurt – never lying and never twisting the story. It was both a good and bad habit since he too at times would get in trouble.

Ironically, despite her small build and size, she was quite good at Amefuto and learned quickly. With his mother's will and father's warning along with her show of her own abilities, Yamato never grew bias about the opposite sex – never viewing them as the weaker gender. After all, Koneko-chan and his mother were the strongest people he knew.

And then one day, Koneko-chan and her family disappeared.

Yamato had grew up with the small girl always near him – they were neighbors and their parents friends since high school, they had attended the same preschool and kindergarten classes together, they had played in each other's backyards...

And then she was gone.

For the life of him, Yamato couldn't remember her actual name or her face as he got older. Eventually, he even forgot his pet name for her.

He remembered a smile and blue eyes.

Or rather, he remembered two smiles.

The first, one that she used whenever she was lying and trying to make others believe she was okay.

The second, her truest smile; the one she had whenever she was laughing so hard tears of joy prickled her eyes and whenever they played together. He'd built up a lot of stamina running around with her hot on his tail.

The blue eyes she had were absolutely unique. Even in America, he'd never seen anyone with eyes that could possibly match her unique shade of glacier blue. Nor the warm glow the icy colour took on whenever she was happy or she was having fun.

His fondest childhood memories were playing with a faceless girl whose features he couldn't remember save her eyes and smile. Yamato, being completely honest with his self, played Amefuto for the thrill, the fun, the challenge and the memory he was scared of losing.

That was what he told Honjo Taka when the fair haired receiver asked his him his reason for playing Amefuto.

It had been a week after they joined the first string on their first day – a week after the new Japanese school year had started – and the two sole first years in the first string were bonding.

Taka had quirked a brow at his reasoning but never questioned him. Yamato had laughed, "What's your reason for joining, Taka?"

"Baseball... It's rather boring without a challenger." The silver-haired teen had answered, "Yamato Takeru... as far as my skills are the ones being questioned, you're the only person I've met with skills possibly on par with mine."

_An equal. _

Yamato had chuckled at Taka's words. The Emperor had been disappointed at that moment though, he'd wished Taka had joined another school so he could have a challenger. An equal was good too, though, someone to stand shoulder to shoulder to without one looking up and the other looking down.

It had been a long time since he had had an equal.

_And maybe, _Yamato had though then, _I will find myself the challenger I had left behind in America..._

_His lungs burned and legs ached as he reached for the boy. The boy wasn't even a bench member of the NASA Aliens – he was a freaking ball boy! What the Hell?! He shouldn't be losing – _

A fire had lit in his eyes that day in the ninth grade, one that wasn't going to be easily extinguished.

* * *

Yamato had entered his class room after lunch, the classes were to resume within a few minutes and that was when he'd heard the rumors of a new student.

He too felt excitement, wondering if his newest peer – for the transferee was supposed to transfer to class 1 – C – would be another wonderful addition to the Amefuto Club.

However, he felt disappointed when he heard that the new transfer student was a girl.

He wasn't biased; it was just that even in America girls played Amefuto but not so much as in Japan – most girls were in non-athletic clubs save for Gymnastics and the like, sports that were considered feminine and girly.

He hadn't known her name until around lunch.

Her name was Higurashi Kagome and she was a Mary-Sue as far as anyone was concerned. She was kind, optimistic, sweet, considerate – _perfection in the flesh. _The tall teen had scoffed at that. There really was no such thing as perfect on Earth.

His technique which was called perfect had weakness because he had weaknesses – imperfections – and he knew no matter what anyone said, his run wasn't the ultimate run of the perfect technique, it was just terrifying.

The same applied for people.

No matter how perfect someone seemed, they had imperfections. And the more perfect someone appeared, the more terrifying the imperfection they hid was.

But when he saw her, for the first time, his thinking had changed slightly. Maybe she was a Mary-Sue.

She was far smaller than him, about a foot – ahem, thirty-one centimetres shorter than him with shoulder-length hair that framed her heart-shaped face perfectly and contrasted against her pale skin. People would've described her as a Yamato Nadeshiko if it weren't her striking blue eyes.

The cool colour had surfaced his childhood memories, the one with the faceless girl, which intrigued him but not more than the flash of recognition in hers. He brushed it off as finally meeting the Emperor everyone spoke of in awe.

He remembered her quick reaction to Heracles and Achilles scuffle. Ironically, despite her size she might have been an athlete. "Those were good reflexes," he had commented as she walked by. She had tensed and a guarded, fierce glint had entered her eyes.

_Interesting. _

Yamato simply smiled at her, eyes half-closed, "Maa, no need to be so defensive, ne?"

He watched subtly as her facial expression morphed into a brighter, more welcoming one, a bright smile on her face. Yamato knew that smile. "I wouldn't call them reflexes..." she had laughed lightly, Yamato nearly smirked at the attempt to ease the tension tightening the air. "I doubt anyone didn't hear that."

_Ah, distraction. _

Yamato found his self laughing as walked away.

He could read people very well, a gift that had helped him in reading his opponent's, however...

Higurashi Kagome.

_What an intricate little puzzle that has appeared_, he had mused to himself, blue eyes burning in his mind. _She'll prove to be a wonderful little challenge..._

After all, his predictions always rang true in the end.

* * *

Yamato had begun to think his self wrong as a week had passed by and the transferee hadn't made done anything exciting. He found himself growing bored... Had he been mislead in her performance to think she'd be a challenge...?

Not on the field of course, but a challenger to his mind – to challenge his mental stability and thinking and analytical skills...

He found Taka staring at him strangely, the receiver's nose, for once, not buried in the book he always had on him. _The Catcher in the Rye_ was a good book, he admitted, but he didn't think it was so good that Taka could read it over and over again – it was far too hard reading in the beginning, Holden Caulfield beings so depressed it made _him _depressed...

He sent Taka a grin, smirking at the eye roll the receiver replied with. Other than Taka, he still hadn't found a challenger – physically or mentally or skill-wise – and he was finding himself becoming rather bored and depressed these days.

The bell tolled and Yamato got up reflexively. Swiftly, with his long legs, huge steps and fast pace, Yamato had exited the class room, first.

Practice would do him good.

Though the first string was talented, he couldn't go all out on them nor could he find himself being fully challenged by them. They were good but not so good as to consider them as rivals, though he respected their tenacity and will –

_Wow. _

Yamato's keen eyes had picked out the raven-haired blur in the crowd, quickly rushing through the flooding hallways without pause or hesitation as she manoeuvred her way through the bodies. Her movements were fluid like running water and reaction too fast for someone who wasn't an athlete or martial artist.

"Her eyes..." he had heard Taka mutter, the fair-haired teen coming to stand behind Yamato. Yamato nodded, a broad grin spreading across his face.

"Yeah... They're closed."

A shiver of delight crawled its way up his spine.

Coming home to Japan was proving to be far more interesting than living in America.

* * *

Yamato knew for a fact the girl was part of the Art Club, he'd seen her walking to the student dorms with art supplies in hand a few times or with that blonde-haired girl talking about drawing techniques or painting techniques. Yamato knew what he was going to do was rather forward – even in America [well, most his actions were rather forward considering Japanese traditions and formalities] – but he wanted her on the team. He was going to corner her.

"I know what you're going to do," Taka had come up behind him.

Yamato turned, not at all surprised, and smiled at his equal, "Do what, Taka?"

"You're going to corner the transfer student, aren't you?" the silver-haired teen had questioned without hesitation. His obsidian eyes were narrowed. "I doubt she'll accept."

"Because she's a girl?"

Taka had sighed in long suffering, throwing his long hair back over his shoulder. "I'm not prejudice, Yamato; I'm basing her reaction on what I know of her so far – she's an introvert, no matter what they say about her being a Mary-Sue."

Yamato merely smiled in response, his grin never leaving during the duration of practice.

It turned into a frown when he caught sight of the blonde. Alone. She seemed to be deeply worried about something but it wasn't any of Yamato's business – he didn't have any business or interest in her at all.

Yamato looked away, turning towards the silver-haired quarterback, who was a year older than him, that was throwing footballs in long arcs over the field. Yamato watched him, boredom setting in, no wonder he was in the fourth string. His aim was so-so but his gauge for distance was horrible – he either fell too short, thrown the ball too hard or completely missed his target.

He even hit the blonde, her loud shriek an indication if any.

Ibarada has cursed, "Stupid girl," he had hissed with contempt. Yamato found himself frowning.

"Ne, it wasn't her fault that you have bad aim, Senpai."

The quarterback had turned purple at his comment but bit his tongue. "Che! Sorry!" he had instead yelled, "Pass the ball over here!"

Yamato was finding his self getting more and more annoyed with the second year. "No, again, that isn't right. First, we should go over there and get the ball from her – sorry, you the perpetrator should, and then apologize."

The second year scowled in response. Yamato eyed him with something akin to disgust. Standing straight, he'd jogged over to the blonde. The running back had hoped to ask her about her friend –

His eyes had gone wide and he had stopped, tilting his head back to watch the spiralling ball. It _was _moving – it just didn't look like it... He grinned in amusement. _What a wonderful illusion... And by Taka's expression, he wants her too_... He smiled – Taka had found himself something to interest him too.

"That girl..." his eyes flashed to Yamato and his all-knowing grin. "...Has the potential to become an amazing quarterback..." Yamato grinned while Taka looked defeated. "Heracles," he called to the third year lineman and their Captain, "Make her join."

She'd been in distress at first. Blushing madly and stammering and stuttering, hands waving in front of her like a shield – a pitiful one against athletes of their sport – and denying any type of physical ability.

"I-I-I'm a-always d-drawing a-a-and p-p-playing t-the p-piano!" she had stuttered.

Yamato couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment – maybe the transferee had gained her reflexes from a non-athletic pass time too...

But...

He wasn't opposed to having a female quarterback – and a potentially strong one would help serve his goals.

With a wide grin, he placed a hand on her shoulder, being careful of his strength. "You're worried, ne?" she had stopped blabbering, blanching when she met his eyes, "Well, don't be," – he continued with a smile – "it'll be alright. You may start off in the sixth string but you'll surely be in the first string in not time."

It'd been a while since he'd seen talent like hers – something that wasn't cultivated intentionally.

Yamato smiled as she stuttered her acceptation.

No matter how enamoured he'd become with the mystery behind that smile, he had one goal.

_Overthrowing the Kings. _

* * *

It had to be a first.

Yamato had walked towards their club room during the lunch hour, expecting some kind of briefing for Koizumi Karin as their newest member. Typically, there would be some kind of letter to be sent of the head of a club that person or persons were in – in this case, the Art Club – before they were officially transferred over but typically, the Alexanders had them learn early.

So when the tall teen had walked in, he hadn't expected a brooding Achilles huddled in a corner. The third year was usually oozing with confidence, his bald head held high and face in a bored scowl.

He looked like a child sulking because he couldn't have the toy he wanted.

"Oh... it's _you_..." Achilles had spat with contempt, looking at Yamato with something akin to jealousy and anger over his shoulder. "She might have come if it were _you_..."

Yamato blinked. "Achilles... Do you have a crush on Karin?"

The third year stiffened, turning paper white. "_NO_!"

"Are you brooding because you don't have a fan club despite it being three years and are still unpopular with the opposite gender? Or is it – "

"Stop right there, Yamato!" Achilles had hissed red-faced. It was bad enough the first year was incredibly blunt to the point every word he said was nearly a stab with a hot knife but what he was saying – ! "Just... Just go get the girl!"

"Sure, Senpai," Yamato shrugged as he walked back out the Mediterranean-styled sprawling structure.

It was lunch hour so there were few viable options for the girl's location.

He scanned the canteen line first, noticing the girl wasn't there and nor was she outside for he would've seen her nor would she be she be on the roof top – Taka ate lunch up there, and it would usually be the two of them – so that left her classroom.

Yamato paused, "Excuse me," he called to a group of girls, flashing them a charming, polite smile. "Do you know what class Koizumi Karin is in?"

The quartet in front of him had blushed in his presence before a meek brunette had gathered the courage to look in his eyes. "H-Hai," she gave him a shy smile, "K-Karin-chan is in c-class 1 – C."

She was so flustered in the presence of the Emperor Yamato-sama.

The dubbed Emperor flashed her a kind smile, "Arigatou."

Class 1 – C. Huh, that was the classroom beside his, wasn't it? Ah, now he remembered; it was the home room of Shizuka-sensei and – he grinned widely – the home room of the transferee. Apparently she never stepped foot outside of her class room during lunch. Time to see of that little tidbit of information rang with any truth.

And it did.

He'd witnessed Karin nearly shedding her skin while Kagome's back was to him. It wasn't much later until the blonde let out an ungodly screech that was probable heard all the way to Tokyo. Yamato watched in barely veiled amusement as the blonde wretched the noirette up and out of her seat to act as shield in front of her.

Kagome on the other hand looked like she wanted nothing more than to be alone – preparing herself to rip her body out of Karin's grip.

"That's rude," Yamato teased, propping himself up against the door frame. His lips twitched upwards as Karin ducked her head behind Kagome's shoulder. "I don't think I'm that unattractive."

Glacier blue eyes shifted to him and their eyes met – the first time since their unofficial introduction. Kagome was staring at him rather icily and he couldn't help the smirk that settled on his face.

_Tsundere. _

"Y-Y-Yamato-san..." Karin had stuttered and Yamato remembered his purpose for being there.

"Yo, Karin," he greeted, "and her friend..."

He knew her name – it would just be creepy though, if he knew and she didn't know his.

However, she just settled him with an apathetic expression, tearing herself from the future quarterback's grip. "I'll leave you two to it."

Yamato frowned. She spoke to him as if he'd done something horribly wrong to her – as far as he knew, he'd never even met the girl until last week. His eyes crinkled, curling his lips upwards. "Rather thoughtful despite your cold demeanor, ne?" he prodded, "Are you a Tsundere? You don't seem to be the Mary-Sue everyone makes you out to be."

"Who said I was a Mary-Sue?" she had retorted dryly, unfazed. "I could be a Yandere acting like a Mary-Sue."

_Fiesty._

"Why so defensive?" he chuckled at her proposal. She stopped beside him. Standing at his full height, she was a foot – using the American's Imperial System of measurement – shorter than him but yet...

"You're a football player aren't you, _Emperor Yamato-sama_?" Oh, now she was just taunting him – her tone dripped with sarcasm and he knew she was subtly questioning his skills. "A good defense is required to protect a weak inside, ne?"

Yamato straightened in surprise. It was typical strategy – if the interior defenders were weak it was required for the first defensive line to be incredibly strong to make up for it – but the tone she used...

He hadn't stopped her from leaving, pondering the use of the metaphor.

...Ah.

Why was here again?

The Emperor turned to the blonde that was choking silently. He leaned against the door once more, his posture becoming lax. Karin let out a nervous laugh. _Ah, that's right – she joined the Amefuto Club 'unwillingly' but that doesn't mean she doesn't need to attend practises. _His smile took on a threatening note.

"You're coming to practice today, ne?"

_And Kagome will come to._

"Ne, Karin, Kagome's full name is Higurashi Kagome, right?"

* * *

Karin had appeared – one half of the duo Yamato desired, but not the half he wanted to see.

He frowned, noting the lack of the noirette's presence.

He shrugged – she'd come sooner or later.

* * *

He hadn't learned until the next day the transferee had brought Hell to Earth the day before. Apparently, she was absolutely livid but Hiranako-san seemed highly amused by her reaction – even as going as far too assure the running back by saying, "Kagome is far too independent of a girl – she just needs to learn to be part of the team."

Nonetheless, he cornered her.

Kagome had given him an inhumanly bright smile followed by bubbling laughter, her fingertips pressed delicately to her bottom lip. "Ne, ne is Emperor Yamato-sama annoyed that he didn't get what he wanted?" she giggled, "Ne, ne do you think I'll really join the team because you want me to?"

Yamato frowned. "I'm not annoyed – more disappointed. You'd think as a transfer student you'd try and make a good image for yourself."

"Well, I don't care."

The sudden change in tone had him wondering if she was bi-polar. The look in her eyes was steely.

"Emperors are like frogs in a well – they know nothing about the world except for their own," her smile was deadly. "And I'm the bucket lifting you out – wake up, asshole, I don't live to please you and if I did... Well, this conversation wouldn't be happening, ne?"

His lips twitched upwards.

Kagome froze at his words.

"Isn't the bucket just a servant to the frog, then? Showing it new sites and proving to be far more useful than what it looks like? You seem rather useless then, leaving me dangling in the well."

She wheeled on him with pure fury, her eyes conveying her unspoken words.

_Hell no. _

He grinned.

It looked like he got his challenger after all.

Kagome grit her teeth as she stared at the freaking grinning bastard – cocky little...

If he wanted a challenge...

She'd give him a punishment instead.

She'd give him a ruse of a fight but instead it'd be a war he wouldn't win.

Kagome offered him a grin.

"Maa, it's been a while since someone talked down to me like that," she let out a snort of amusement, "Ne, ne, _Emperor Yamato-sama_, I don't intend to be the challenger you desire" – his lips twitched downwards – "but how about an adviser? I heard the position of manager hasn't been filled in – and the letter never specified what position I'd be taking."

_"__Useless wench!"_

Her heart ached.

She'd proven him wrong.

And now she would prove this cocky bastard wrong too.

Yamato's lips twitched upwards.

"An adviser is a helper position isn't it? Still my servant."

She was going to fucking crush him.

* * *

**Yes, Kagome curses - all that time around Inuyasha has seriously affected her! **

**Inuyasha is like my friend that managed to get me cursing... Loud, annoying and downright dominating...**

**On another note - don't you adore Yamato and Kagome's relationship. He views her as someone interesting while she views him as a pain in the ass... Ha, true love - right P!nk? [Refer to her song _True Love _in her album _The Truth About Love_].  
**

**Haha! Review and - seriously - PM me guys for any requests concerning the story, I'll try to add them in. **

**Also, I might post some other INU XOvers... Let's wait and see together shall we!**

**'Til next time, **

**_Stranxzze_**


	5. Questionable Linage and Memory

**I'm late and I don't like it...  
**

**I'm sorry everyone, this week's only begun and it's been a bitch - not to mention my weekend was fan-fucking-tatsic [note the sarcasm it was typed in] and my laptop is playing a game of 'Let's Screw with her Files.'**

**I originally wanted to post this yesterday because it was Memorial Day and for those who were mourning, I wanted to give you something to read about to take you mind off things but my internet was horrible and being pissy... Not to mention I unintentionally added character death into this...  
**

**This chapter is dedicated to Maistrya for guessing correctly what mental condition Kagome has. *applauds* And also, thank yo for you encouraging words about my story - I was afraid it was boring and nobody would like it. Thanks for your support.**

**I hope I didn't disappoint all of you with this chapter - I myself find it shitty but that's me criticizing me.**

* * *

**Chapter Four - Questionable Linage and Memory  
**

The field was eerily quiet.

The usual loud and passionate yelling was absent and left an empty feeling in the chests of the players that decorated the field. Even the yelling of pass routes was quiet compared to the normal aggressive shouts that filled the air.

Silence blanketed the field; the sound of a pen scratching against paper and papers turning slicing through the awkward silence. Yamato couldn't help the smirk that twitched his lips as he cast an eye over to their new manageress. First day on the job and already doing a damned good job at asserting her dominance over the lower echelon of the club.

The upper echelon - to which he belonged to - eyed her warily, their eyes wandering over when given the chance. Taka had even opted to sit in the same bench as hers to attempt to get a better read on the noirette.

The only one within the lower echelon that was concerned with the noirette was the her blonde friend; Karin's eyes often diverting from the path in front of her to the blue-eyed girl sitting quietly at the sidelines while practice moved around her at a quiet, subdued pace.

Kagome eye's were solely focused at the pile of papers in her hands or rather the numerous folders in her hands. Hercules had went and down the liberty of pulling the teams' files for the new manageress at her request. The usual grinning and rather childish third year was twitching nervously with each fluid, languid and yet elegant movement of the first year female.

Her pen scribbled across the page briefly before abruptly stopping.

Yamato grinned as he jogged over, leaving the second string members behind on the green without a backwards glance. "Yes?" she questioned irritably, "What is it you want, Yamato?"

Now, normally, the use of honorifics was used to address everyone save for close friends and family [unless that person or persons were rather formal or the honorific was part of a pet name] and the lack of one could represent two things: the people were either close or the two were on bad terms and the lack of honorific was meant as an insult. In America, as Yamato lied for quite some time, lacked honorifics and only used prefixes for people in a higher position, didn't mind the lack of honorific.

He only grinned, "Having trouble are we, Kagome?"

"That's Kagome-_san _to you," Kagome responded dryly, an annoyed glint in her eyes. The fair-haired receiver next to her shot Yamato a warning look, his steel-grey eyes narrowed at the running back dangerously.

Yamato disregarded the silent warning and moved to kneel down beside the girl, careful not to disrupt the stack of manila folders the girl had delicately balanced on the meticulous lawn beside her. "You know, instead of being rather introverted and prideful, you can ask for help - I'm willing to explain the positions and various plays to you - "

"Yamato." Kagome cut him off with curtly, her voice icily polite. Taka inched away, his foot turned as if ready to sprint at the first sign of danger. _Like a hawk_, Yamato mused in his head, _A homage to his name I suppose. _

He blinked as he realized Kagome was still staring at him coldly, a malicious glint in her icy blue eyes. "Yes?"

"I'm not stupid," she hissed at him, rage colouring her features and an angry tint of red fluttering across her cheeks. Faintly, the teen heard the distant but distinctly feminine squeal their sole female player made a ways away. "I do know Amefuto - my childhood friend, his father and my father played the sport."

Yamato found himself momentarily stunned. Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught Taka slumping forward and eyes widening at the revelation.

_You'd never really expect it from her... _he mused, _But then again, the reason I am interested in this girl is the fact she's interesting..._

"Eh?" he drawled and Taka abruptly got up - a wise choice on the receiver's part. "What positions did they play?"

"My friend and his father played running back and my father played quarterback." Kagome answered without missing a beat.

"Which running back - "

"His father played full back and he played half-back - as far as I know." A sharp edge had settled in her voice and the practice around the two had moved further away from the right side of the field as an electrifying current shot down their backs in preparation for the brewing storm.

"Eh? Did you not play - was it because you're far too delicate and small? Oh, I see. Haha, they had a hard time looking for you since they always had to look down."

A vein burst on Kagome's forehead, her bangs concealing the pulsating vessel as she found her temper rising. No one had ever insulted her height until now. Everyone insulted her about her name, her genetics, her skills, her abilities - no one had insulted her about her height until now. No one but this royal bastard.

"Maa, it's okay, Kagome, I'm sure you'd grow taller but there's little to no chance of that happening."

"And most people would call you a giant but are too sacred to say it to your face."

Yamato chuckled, "I'm not that unattractive, am I?"

"I've seen far better," Kagome responded coolly, ignoring Yamato as she continued her work diligently.

Yamato completely disregarded the electric waved radiating from the girl and the frightened air the field had assumed. "Maybe your sight was warped by your tiny stature."

_Snap._

Kagome practically shoved the folders out of her lap and stood on the bench, her feet replacing her bum on the seating furniture.

**_Crack!_**

The painful sound of skin slapping against skin resonated through the field and everything paused, as if someone had lifted a giant remote and pressed the pause button, their faces caught in a look of utter and pure disbelief. Wide-eyed, they not so subtly stared at the fiery look in Kagome's eyes as she stared at the turned head of their already deemed ace.

"_Slacker_." was the single hissed word that left her fiercely drawn lips, "Get back to practice."

A sicker erupted from Heracles as Yamato moved stiffly away. The shock so blatantly showcased on the usually cool-looking teen's face was amusing to no end.

"Serves him right," the third year lineman muttered to himself, Achilles holding in his guffawing laughter with his hands practically shoved into his mouth.

It was only compensation, what happened to Yamato, for the the Hellish lunch hour he had after the smiling, blue-eyed first year walked into his classroom asking for him.

Kagome had walked in with a bright, polite smile on her face and the front of her uniform jacket undone, revealing the black vest, gold dress shirt and inky black tie beneath, and her hands tucked behind her back respectfully. "Hera Kureji-senpai?" she had asked for in a calm voice.

Hercules had known who she was; she was the transferee, Higurashi Kagome, and the one Taka bewilderingly described and claimed Yamato was interest in. "Yes?" he remembered asking her.

The noirette had walked up to him with a powerful stride and practically oozed confidence like a certain running back, he had mused.

Through out their unofficial meeting, Hercules couldn't possibly detect why Yamato was interested in the girl other than the fact she was easy on the eyes. Kagome had a petite stature and delicate womanly features with her curvy frame she didn't look like an athlete at all. Her skin was pale and unblemished by scars and her voice was far too soft.

How wrong he had been proven when Hercules jokingly asked if she agreed for the boys that would be surrounding her.

Most girls didn't know a clue.

She knew plenty.

And her temper would prove to be a far worse punishment than any he would be able to give.

Heracles nodded and smiled, happy with his sort-of choice [after all, he had been somewhat coerced into agreeing], "She makes a wonderful addition to the team, ne?"

Achilles and Tenma gave him odd glances.

Then, Tenma's mouth curved into a lewd grin as her leered at the first year through his coloured lenses, "As a piece of eye candy? Hell yeah, she is!"

The former Shinryuuji student suddenly froze as their new manageress' eyes fell on him, narrowed and gleaming with something that made his skin crawl.

"A-Ah... Never mind..."

* * *

Yamato rubbed his still red and - he hated to admit it - sore cheek. For someone so small and fragile-looking the girl knew how to slap people and Yamato found himself silently and fearfully considering how hard her right hook was.

He heard a tired sigh. "I told you not to insult her," Taka's reprimanding voice sounded. the receiver's hair was little damp from sweat and a tired, bored expression was on his face.

"You told me not to annoy her," Yamato corrected, "I was making an observation."

Taka let out a strangled noise between a scoff, groan and laugh. "To you that might be, but to others that was an insult - Kagome-san is one of those people."

Yamato just shrugged, shouldering his bag over his shoulder and walked out of the change room. He shook his head of wild, brown curls. "Maa, some people are just sensitive, Taka."

"You're just insensitive, Yamato - "

"I second that," Heracles raised his hand as walked forward. The first years paused and stared at the cross expression on the third year's face as he thundered down the hall - their administrative office was just around the corner - a deep crease between his bushy eyebrows. "And I think your habit of making challenges is a curse."

Yamato didn't flinch nor cower as a series of stapled papers were shoved into his face via the irate lineman.

"Comments," he read aloud, "First String: too distracted...Second String: overly cocky and proud...Third String: overly ambitious and talkative... Fourth String: LOUD..." here, the word had been bold and underlined many times, "Fifth String: too energetic and scattered... Sixth String: pushed far too and treated badly..." his dark eyes flitted to the bottom of the page. "Overall: Teikoku Gakuen's prized Amefuto Club which has lasted many generations and won the Christmas Bowl for the past thirty-five years has slackened its command and focused on training mostly the Sixth Stringers - whom are far too pressured and abused for the low status - to which I am appalled at the hierarchy presented."

Yamato looked up as a grin split his face, "Eh? Who knew Kagome could be more formal?"

Taka, who had also been given a copy of the stapled sheets, frowned as he turned the page and his eyes widened. "Yamato... Turn the page..."

Yamato shot Taka a questioning look while Hercules crossed his arms and an expectant look settled on his round face.

**Training Regime***

**6:00 AM - Wake up  
**

**6:15 - 6:30 AM - Healthy, Carbohydrate-filled Breakfast**

**7:00 AM - Morning Practice Start**

**~ Warm-Up: light fifteen minute jog around school**

**~ Two Minute Rest**

**~ Vertical Jump**

**~ Broad Jump**

**~ 40-yard dash  
**

**~ L-Cone**

**~ Pro Agilitiy**

**~ Positional Drills**

**8: 00 AM - Rest; Stretching, Post Work-Out Activites**

**8:15 - Practice Over**

**8:30 - Classes Begin**

**SCHOOL DAY - Eat a heavy lunch**

**3:00 PM - Afternoon Practice **

**~ Warm-Up: Suicides across length of field**

**~ Muscle Training [in Weight Room or Gym]: train plyometrics, Olympic lifts, lower and upper body strength movements, corrective exercises and core training**

**5:00 PM - 15 Minute Break [Snack Time]**

**5:15 - Recovery and Regeneration Session Start**

**~ Chiropratic Adjustment**

**~ Flexibility and Agility **

**~ Post Work-Out Activites**

**6:15 PM - Break**

**6:30 - Mini-Games [VI v. V, IV v. III, II v. I - prone to change]**

**7:30 PM - Brief Club Meeting concerning next Practices**

**7:45 PM - Practice Over**

Yamato grinned in amusement.

KAgome wasn't lying when she said she knew Amefuto. "Impressive, ne?" he drawled without looking up. "This is on the same level of some NFL training regimes [i]."

"It's on the same level as those designed for professional athletes," Taka agreed and shot Yamato a praising look. "You chose well."

Yamato smiled -

"That training regime was designed by one of the founding members of Teikoku, the star quarterback of the Alexanders when they first won the Chirstmas Bowl," Heracles sniffed, angry and miffed at being forgotten. "He later on went to become a Doctor that specialized in Sports' Medicine."

"What was his name?" Taka demanded loosely, scanning the rest of the sheets in his hands, his eyes going wide as he found the answer to his question. "...Higurashi...Hajime..."

Yamato blinked and fervently looked at the sheets in his hands with a renewed vigor, his enthusiasm filled with surprise and curiosity. "Kagome's father?"

"Assuming." Heracles voice was grim as he attempted to hide his disappointment. "It would've been nice to meet one of the legendary founding members... They said he was kind, caring and considerate... His daughter is the exact opposite..."

"I thought you liked Kagome, she's nice - "

"Say that to you cheek, Yamato."

The running back tossed Taka a sour look as the receiver mocked him for the mark on his face.

Heracles let out a hysterical laugh, tears streaming down his face and a teddy bear suddenly appeared in his large hands. "Read... Read the fine print..." he managed in between sobs.

A look of distress briefly flashed over Taka's features as he followed his senior's instructions.

*** Note: This regime is specifically designed NOT for the First String but for Strings Two through Six and the practice times and workouts will change through the season. The papers attached are the individual regimes for the First String. Though the First String will be involved in the Mini Games, they will work SEPARATELY from the other divisions.**

The detail provided on each regime was more than twice than the regime designed for the lesser divisions. The plans even provided a list of activities to do _outside _of practice and what to _eat. _

Yamato suddenly realized what Kagome's vision of Hell for him was.

"She's cruel."

"I can see why she wanted to kill you... In fact, I want to kill you too."

* * *

The cool evening air bit his skin as walked along the sidewalk, the tall teen dwarfed by the large buildings surrounding him like the bars of a cage. A sweat had broken on his face as he evaded both Heracles and Taka, both his teammates spewing curses at him. Yamato chuckled as he remembered Taka's livid face. He had expected Taka to shrug it off, after all, he was the son of Honjo Masaru-senshu who was a highly praised and revered athlete, since the fair-haired male would be use to strenuous activities.

Instead, he'd been the most angry of the duo.

Yamato let out a laugh as the sidewalk's sides began to be littered with suburban two-story homes and bungalows. He turned at a gated pathway, the entrance guarded by a tall, wrought-iron fence that was a full-head taller than himself. Unlocking the gate, Yamato walked forward into his family home.

He was lucky, he knew, his father had wanted a home close to his Alma Matter and kept the house in his possession even after the family had moved countries.

The first year unlocked his door and walked into the modern Japanese-architectural home. It was unlike his home in America with its more functional yet artistic design but it was home nonetheless. The only fall out being that he was alone.

Yamato was constantly surrounded by friends and teammates and peers, not once was he alone - there was always at least one person within a three-metre radius of the giant - and his family was constantly there, His mother had insisted on picking him up everyday after school, even as he got older and his father dedicated as much of his free time as he could to spending time with his eldest son. And when his younger brother was born, he had one more person to join his group of loved ones.

Their old home, the one Takeshi had never seen as he was born in America, was rather empty. The wall decorations and furniture were sparse and the rooms felt wide and spacious and... empty.

He shook his head. This was his decision.

His bag hit the floor and Yamato stalked towards the couch and threw himself onto the cushions, his feet hanging over one arm and his head pressed against the other arm. He let out a relaxed sigh.

The emptiness was comforting though.

He needed all the rest he could get with the upcoming traing and no one would be able to disturb him.

No one but his thoughts. [ii]

Unfortunately, his thoughts were rather loud at the moment and instead of dozing off on the couch, Yamato fond himself wide awake and staring at the stucco ceiling.

_Higurashi Hajime... Higurashi Kagome... Maa, she might be his daughter and she might not but that name isn't common and they have the same face..._

Yamato could remember leafing through his father's old yearbooks and seeing the face of a raven-haired, blue-eyed man with a brilliant smile. He could hear his father's irritated voice in his ears and a smile bloomed across his face. His mother would laugh and usher her father out as she explained to him who the man was.

_"That was your father's best friend... His name is Higurashi Hajime and you would've called him Hajime-Oji-san if he were here."_

_"Will he ever come over?" the younger version of himself asked excitedly. _

_A saddened look came over his mother's eyes and his father's loud muttering ceased. "Sweetie, he's far, far away and is unable to visit - he can't even visit his own daughter and wife and son - he can't visit his won family."_

_"Why?"_

Yamato opened his eyes and remembered how sad he felt at his mother's next words, the crushing feeling he felt in his chest as if he would suffocate.

_"Because he's dead." _

Yamatp vaguely remembered his other mentioning how the Higurashi family had lived in Osaka and visited their home often when he first entered kindergarten along with their daughter. He couldn't remember though.

Most of his childhood memories consisted of hours upon hours of football and the laughter of his family and that faceless girl.

He frowned.

If he knew Kagome as a child - and that was if she was Higurashi Hajime's daughter - could it be they were childhood friends and he didn't remember?

* * *

**[i] - I got this off a site concerning NFL training regimes only tweaked a bit - the warm-ups were my idea and the time management is weird because they have school in between**

**[ii] - I laughed as I rote this because my friend, who is very, very, _very _dirty-minded wrote something like this for Language Class with this in mind, "I was lost in all my THOTS." **

**If anyone wants to talk just PM me... It'll make my shitty week brighter.**

**Check out the poll on my profile concerning me drawing something for this story - I love drawing but I'm not a professional and if people ask me to, I'll draw for them.**

**Again, sorry for updating late and I would've updated yesterday but my country doesn't celebrate Memorial Day. **

**...Anyone wanna guess where I live? O**


	6. Just Like Tou-san's

**So...  
**

* * *

**Chapter Five - Just Like Tou-san's **

"Eh?" a slow drawl caused a shiver to violently crawl up Kagome's spine as she winced and turned around. Her blue eyes trailed from the torso of the tall male to meet his bemused, dark eyes. "I didn't know Kagome lived in the student dorms."

"It's Kagome-_san_ to you, Yamato," Kagome corrected reflexively. A grimace marred her features as Yamato trailed her, smiling per usual.

The full back let out a laugh, "Haha, are you usually this feisty in the morning or is it just because you're not a morning person?"

"I prefer courageous," Kagome snapped irritably, though she was determined not to let his taunting and blunt manner of speak break her mental walls so damn easily…it…it was really challenging.

"Hm," Yamato hummed in amusement, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. Kagome froze as the pads of fingers gently traced the crease beneath her eyes, his face uncomfortably close. "You have bags under your eyes… You don't sleep very much do you?"

Kagome slapped his hand away, "Please don't touch me without my consent." Her tone clipped and polite as she spoke, stepping diagonally away from him to distance herself from the tall male. Her shoulders had stiffened at the sudden touch and a defensive air was about her.

"Ah, gomen, gomen," he laughed lightly, "Does that mean if I ask for permission, I could touch you all I want?"

"You shouldn't be touching me. Period." Kagome refused to look at him as she spoke, her eyes focused before her and her face retaining the same annoyed expression she constantly wore around Yamato. Though faint, and if it weren't for his keen eyes, Yamato would've missed the faint pink glow along her cheek bones.

He grinned in a mocking way that resembled a smirk. "You're avoiding the question."

"No, you can't touch me all you want."

"Ah, too bad."

Kagome paused in her step, Yamato almost passing her, in order to balance herself and catch her thoughts. "Do you even listen to yourself talk?"

"Of course."

Kagome rose a brow and gave him a disbelieving look. She honestly did not believe a single word this boy said despite his blunt speaking. He didn't listen to himself talk otherwise, she wouldn't have slapped him yesterday and they wouldn't be having this conversation.

_Ah, wait…._

He was oblivious.

That was the answer.

The teenager, for all his 'amazing talents', was oblivious and couldn't understand the double meanings in his manner of speaking.

Yes, that was the answer.

Or…

At least she hoped was the answer.

May the gods forbid he was actually _flirting _with her –

A shiver racked her body and she violently shook her head, her skin paling a shade further. _Stop those thoughts right now. You gave up on those kinds of thoughts and feelings a while ago._

"Are you cold, Kagome?"

Kagome didn't look at him. "No – "

"OI, MANAGER!" the two first years paused as a head exited the change rooms before them angrily, a scowl deeply etched into the second year's face. Behind Ibarada, the scared face of Karin was made visible, the blonde's face etched with terror. His breathing was labored and his teeth pulled back in a silent snarl and eyes blazing with malice and anger, the hand clutching the back of Karin's collar nearly ripping through the fabric.

"I HAVE A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU!" Ibarada howled at the sight of her, disregarding the squeak of terror leaving the blonde in his grasp.

The second year wasn't just seething or annoyed or irritated.

He was absolutely furious.

Yamato stood warily in front of the girl, not liking the murderous expression the second year wore as he glared vehemently at Kagome, the air thick with his killing intent. "Ibarada, you shouldn't talk to a girl like that – "

"Shut it, Yamato!" the second year wheeled on the first stringer, "I didn't ask for your fucking opinion did I?!"

Did he…?

_Did he just cut me off?_

"Oi, Yamato, leave this to me." Kagome insisted, nudging her peer forward with her elbow, pressing the joint firmly into his side. Yamato rose a brow, she shook her head. "If a member of the Amefuto Club has any personal complaints against me then it is a private matter, and thusly, shall be resolved by myself in the company of that complainer – I don't need someone else meddling in my affairs."

Yamato's lips twitched upwards at the added sentence. She still bore a grudge against him, did she, with that silent jab towards his actions in recruiting her. "And I thought you didn't want to be manageress…"

Ibarada's scowl was deepening by the second with each word spoken between the two first years. They couldn't just ignore him, damn it! His hold on Karin tightened. "OI! Yamato, listen to the bitch – "

Kagome opened her mouth to snap at him –

"Don't call her a bitch, Ibarada, that's rude."

Confusion clouded her features as she threw Yamato a look, eyebrows furrowed.

"You shouldn't talk to a lady like that."

_Ah, ever the chivalrous one, ne, Yamato?_

"And you shouldn't hold a girl like that," Yamato added, appearing at Ibarada's side, already prying the poor girl from the second year's grasp. "You shouldn't bully people less than you."

Kagome threw Yamato a barely veiled glare at the last sentence. Her icy coloured eyes boring into him with something akin to disgust. "And nor should you be calling people less than you."

Ibarada's eyebrow twitch dangerously, the veins on his forehead pulsing with his anger. They were ignoring him again… "Just. Fucking. Butt. _Out_."

"Maa, Senpai is so rude." Yamato drawled, pulling Karin to her feet and pushing her to stand near Kagome.

"_Mind you own fucking business, Yamato_!"

The shout resonated through the entire school property; through the courtyard, the sports' fields, the club rooms, the long and huge, cavernous halls of the school, classrooms, teachers' offices, and the administrative office.

Briefly, Hiranako had the passing thought of holding an assembly concerning the use of foul language as the shout reached his old, weathered yet keen ears…

"It's my business considering not only are you bothering our manager, you're also bullying a kohai in both academics and in the sport not to mention you're – "

"_Yamato_," Kagome hissed, shoving the running back further from her. _Damn, can he talk. _

Reluctantly, the running back stepped aside, his eyes on the poor blonde now at their side. She was trembling from all the loud yells right next to her ear and undoubtedly, her hearing must have been damaged.

"How fucking dare you?"

"Dare I what?" Kagome responded calmly. In these situations, she had learned to remain calm as much as possible with characters such as Ibarada in face of their tempers. Getting angry wouldn't help her win the argument that would ensue.

However, in her current state, her patience was rather thin and her mental walls were a _little _unstable…

"Make a personal training menu for the first stringers and leave the rest of us to do the same shitty thing!" he screeched loudly, shaking his fists widely in the air as he spoke; resembling a toddler in the midst of a tantrum.

A few heads peeked out of the change room at the enraged yell.

Yamato opened his mouth to retort, a frown on his face when Kagome held up a hand. The silent gesture asking for silence from him. Quirking a brow questioningly, and amused by what his silence would bring, he kept his mouth shut.

"It's personalized for each string," Kagome corrected insulted, slipping into a position where she'd be well balance in case of a physical attack.

_Shoulders back… Feet shoulder-width apart… Eyes on the person in front of you… Just like Sa – _she _taught me…_

Yamato had noticed the martial arts' stance she had taken, a flicker of his surprise in his features. Karin, on the other hand, having recovered, was flicking her gaze from the seething quarterback to the coldly glaring girl in her class. Whispers began to fill the hall as more and more members began to peek out at the commotion.

Ibarada stared down at the apparent calm girl, his anger reaching his boiling point. Kagome had the niggling feeling he wanted to punch her, and if he did…

Her fingers curled into tight, clenched fists at her side, knuckles turning white.

Yamato took a step forward.

Karin squeaked, her shoulders tensing.

"_Personalized_? Its fucking favoritism for those cocky bastards in the first string – and don't get me started on that blonde bimbo – "

"Now that's fucking rude!" a hushed whisper.

" _Karin-chan_," Kagome interjected with a hiss and a narrowing of eyes, "is a beginner; therefore, the training menu is designed to assimilate her into the sport."

"_Favoritism_." A round of murmurs agreeing.

"She isn't use to the basic training – she needs to build up her stamina, strength and speed before she can, otherwise she'll probably suffer a lot of pain." Nods of understanding – one from Taka, Hercules and Yamato [the first two having appeared in the middle]. Their manageress was right.

While on one hand, Karin was utterly grateful the noirette was sticking up for her, she felt guilty for causing the girl trouble with the Scary Senpai, Ibarada Kirio.

Ibarada pulled back, anger dissipating though an accusing expression tore through his features. "I knew it… you're _sexist_."

A choking sound filled the air.

"_Excuse me_?" Kagome was breathless at the accusation, "If anything – you're the one that's sexist – ! Shit," – the curse caused mass surprise and slacked jaws – "Half the guys I know are sexist – what the Hell? Some forms of training could kill someone if they aren't use to it – and just because we're girls you think, 'Oh, she can't do this, she can't do that.' Some of the strongest most courageous people I know are girls – Hell, most of them are, so why is it, that just because I feel pity and mercy for a Karin… Everyone thinks its favoritism or sexism – Why? Forgive me if it feels like that, but I'm not a cold-hearted, accusatory, uncaring, asshole like you."

Now she was just making them feel guilty…

Ibarada could feel his pride chipping away with her argument. "What about the guys then that are transferring over from other sports, then – "

"They are transferring over from _other _sports, they're use to training to build up speed, power, agility – Karin isn't." Kagome's face was beginning to burn red with her anger, her nails forming perfect crescent shapes into her uniform jacket's sleeves. "And why should you be complaining, if anything, it's them who should be complaining." Kagome flung an arm out in a random direction, people parting as if a bullet had been fired.

"I have every fucking right to complain! Why is it that the Great Me is being abused and demoted to the fourth string of all fucking places and treated like a nobody while the first string and a shitty sixth stringer _girl _get more respect and treated better than _me_ – I'm a fucking second year – "

"Then you should know how to take idiocy by now!" Kagome finally shrieked, "You don't give respect away, it's earned – you don't get put into the first string just because they recruited you! They recruited you because you have promise but honestly, I don't see what promise you have! You're arrogant, you're lazy, you're prideful, you don't listen to the higher ups; you think you're the best thing ever created but really you're just a sad, arrogant little boy that's just throwing a tantrum because he can't get what he wants."

A stunned silence filled the crowded hall.

"Someone finally said it…" one whispered in awe.

"Shut it!" another hissed.

Kagome was heaving, her breathing labored as she glared hatefully at the man before her. "I hate people like you."

Swiftly, she turned and the crowd parted – as if a canyon had been carved by her mere presence alone – to let her through. None noticing the shine of unshed tears in her eyes.

"_Ibarada_."

The second year froze.

Robotically, he turned, eyes wide and fear in his bones as he faced the third year captain.

Hercules smiled, a threatening undertone in teeth gleamed in the light. "Get to practise." He then turned towards the gathered crowd, "I myself am a little annoyed with the fact the training regimes are more focused on the first string," – Taka, who was standing near the front of the crowd, rolled his eyes at the understatement "but I approve of them nonetheless."

A Spartan-inspired costume appeared on the third year. "We are the beginning of everything and the top of everything! There is nothing we can't accomplish!"

"…Hercules…"

"Eh…?"

"Is there _anything _you take seriously…?"

"Eh?!"

Kagome trembled – no, shook, with each shaking breathe. Her body felt numb – was numb, for she felt no pain as she bit down on her lip hard, her teeth piercing the soft flesh of her lip.

"So stupid…" she hissed, hot tears pelting her soft cheeks angrily, "Has no regard for anyone but himself…"

Her voice broke with the last word, raising an octave higher as a memory took place.

_ "__You idiot!" she screamed, tears in her eyes and face red with anger, "Stupid, stupid, _**_stupid_**_! So you think you're the only one who cares about you?!"_

_His golden eyes were wide with shock as she continued to stare down at him with eyes overflowing with tears, her cheeks stained by the silvery liquid. "Well, you're wrong! _**_I _**_care about you! But you have no regard for anyone but yourself!"_

"K-Kagome-chan…?" a meek voice asked quietly, a head of golden hair peeking into the washroom.

"Karin?" Kagome asked turning, already knowing who it was at the voice, "What are you doing here?"

"Hera-senpai asked me to go look for you a-as your friend…"

Karin had seen this state all too well before. Her eyes wed from crying and cheeks stained with dried tears. Her hands were clenching the porcelain sink tightly and she was in a disheveled state, as if she hadn't slept in days. Hair wet and matted with sweat and or water, skin a sickly pale shade, a wild, feral look in her icy, guarded eyes…

She remembered this look.

_Desolation. _

That was how she described it back then.

The girl in front of her, who was so easily mistaken as a Mary-Sue, was utterly and undeniably broken…

"Ano… Kagome-chan, Hera-senpai said if you needed to, you could skip morning practise if you need to…"

"Ie," Kagome straightened after a moment, her right hand firmly gripping her left forearm. "I need to do some managerial work…"

"Kagome-chan, y-you don't have t-to do this if you don't want to…"

"I _have _to… It's my duty…"

The pain in her voice was indescribable.

And Karin wondered why.

And then the blonde remembered…

There was very little she knew about Kagome and that smile of hers always made her seem okay, but…

Was she really?

Karin couldn't help but wonder.

The image of the Mary-Sue on the first day had faded and its colours washed away in a couple weeks' time.

And in this second time of witnessing the girl in such a state, Karin could only compare her to an old doll.

A doll like the ones you'd find in a garage sale where the toys are used and hand me downs. Still in usable, good working condition yet you would never know what that doll had been through or the experience it had within its previous owner's care. And then you would find a flaw overtime.

Much like the way Kagome seemed so perfect only a couple weeks ago…

Now…

Karin wasn't so sure.

"Ne, Kagome."

"Go away."

"Kagome."

"Kagome-_san_."

"Kagome – "

"I said it's Kagome-_san_!" the noirette exploded once more, this time though, her blazing eyes set on Yamato Takeru.

"Why are you here?" His question was asked so innocently…

"You don't want me here? After all the time you argued and insulted me to join?! Are you attempting to get yourself murdered and the murderer being me?" she hissed, her eyes flashing with the threat.

"I do want you here, in fact, I like having you here – "

_Do you even listen to yourself talk?_

" – but you're tired, you're no use – "

"_No use_?" Kagome interjected, cutting him off. "_No use_…"

_"__Useless wench!"_

Tears began to prickle her eyes as the annoyed snarl echoed in her mind.

Her heart began to beat faster, the loud _thumps _sounding like the heavy beats of a drum against her ears. And suddenly, she wasn't getting enough air. Her moth opened wide with each huge, gasping breath, her hand clutched over her heart.

A tight grip on her shoulder then pulled her tight to a firm, muscled chest. A large hand was cradled to the back of her head while a muscled arm hung carefully around her frame in a tight embrace.

"Ah, gomen, gomen," his voice was still light as he apologized, rubbing her head affectionately. "I didn't meant to make you cry."

_I know_.

Yamato was surprisingly gentle, his touch feather light as he caressed her hair softly. It was just like…

_It's just like Tou-san's…_

Warmth filled her as she thought of her father who she so closely resembled.

"I still have some use, you know…?" her voice was weak and hoarse. "I can tackle that paperwork right now and leave less for later… Go through previous games and update team info… Check our next opponents out…"

Yamato grinned maniacally at her choice of words and suggestions.

"While that's true, Kagome, you can help us out by doing that – and you're terribly well-informed on what a manager's duties are – I don't think you have time to check out our next opponents."

"…Eh…?"

Her breathing had calmed, and her she no longer sniffled nor were her eyes filled with tears though silvery streaks were painted onto her pale cheeks.

Yamato smiled.

"Our next game is this Saturday against the Rakuzan Dragons [i]."

"Eh?!"

Yamato grinned widely at her startled expression. She looked like a startled kitten with her eyes as wide as they were.

"I think I'll call you Koneko-chan from now on…"

Her face burned red.

"Yama – Hah?! Am I interrupting something?"

Hercules loud, booming voice broke the two apart from their embrace. "Yamato you _do _move fast!"

"Hercules, what is it that you want, you broke a precious bonding moment…"

Hercules grinned smugly. "Nani, nani? What's this? Is Yamato disappointed? Hah, is this the reason why you wanted Kagome-_chan _in the Amefuto Club so badly – Itai!"

Yamato put his hands together and clapped for the girl. "Nice aim," he complimented, admiring the vibrant red mark on the lineman's forehead. She huffed and muttered something under her breath though her cheeks were still dyed a bright pink.

"Kagome-_chan _is so mean… I was going to tell you that you had a visitor…"

"Visitor?"

"A grade school kid. His name's Souta."

* * *

**Two arguments... Two anxiety attacks... Two warm reminders of the past and an unexpected surprise...  
**

**So... I think this the best time to say that from now until the end of June or to early July, I wont' be updating on a the same day. For me, as I live in Canada [not in Colorado but nice guess Julia N SnowMiko], school doesn't end until... June 26th...? this year and teachers at my school like to hand out a shitload of assignments and test for these last few weeks. TAT. **

**I might be posting oneshots or stories during the time period just to get the Plot Bunnies out and about for walk so I can focus on my assignments better but Chapter Six's outline is basically done. **

**Thank you all for putting up with me,**

_**Stranxzze.**_

**P.S**

**If you haven't already, please read 999patientia-senpai's _Keep Me Interested _[a ES21 x INU XOver] or MizukixTsukiyomi-senpai's _Love Hoop _[a KNB x INU XOver] I absolutely adore both stories. I fangirl over them all the time so much that my friend [who also reads them] hits me over the head and tells me to shut up. Haha, she's just really sadistic ;D!**


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